Peters



(No Model.)

W. A. WALES.

GAME COUNTER.

No. 276,101. Patented Apr. 17,1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM A. \VALES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUBURNDALE YVATGH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,101, dated April 17, 1883,

Application filed February 511, 1862.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that 1', WILLIAM ATHERTON WALES, a citizen of the United States, ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Counters orl-tegis ters and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,elear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for counting and scoring, and is intended more particularly as a game counter where points can be scored, and also a permanent record of games kept. It is also adapted to the use of pedestrians for scoring laps and miles, and, in general, can be used in all kinds of operation where successive points or units are to be counted.

The invention consists in a simple mechanism contained in a case composed of a plate mounted on an axis, and carrying on one side a series of symbols arranged in a circle near the edge, and on the reverse a ratchet-wheel, in combination with direct-acting push and holding pawls and a thumb-piece, and in combining with these elements a registering device mounted on the outside of the ease, the whole forming a more efficient and simple instrument than has yet been manufactured.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view; Fig. 2, an elevation of the inside of the case; Fig. 3, a front view of the movable plate; Fig. 4, a reverse view of the same, and Fig. 5 a vertical cross-section.

A represents a hollow case or box, of circular form, of aboutthe size of an ordinary watch, constructedof sheet-brass or othermetal. This case is constructed of a back plate, 1, a rim, 2, and a cover or face-plate, 3.

Secured to one side of the rim or edge of the plate is a perforated boss, 4, which forms a guide fora sliding thumb-piece, 5, the rim being also perforated to permit a free movement of such sliding piece 5. The slide 5 has a pin, 6, at its lower end, which limits the movement and prevents it from being withdrawn.

(No model.)

Secured to the rim 2 inside the case is a curved spring, B, the free end of which extends down toward the center of the case, while atanintermediatepointsuehspring-bears with an upward pressure upon the lower end of the thumb-piece, to which itmay be secured, if desired.

The back plate, 1, is centrally perforated to form a bearing for the axis or journal 7 of a. plate, 0, rigidly secured to the journal, and adapted to turn therewith. The face of the plate 0 is provided with a series of characters, as a succession of figures, the number being immaterial, though limited necessarily by the circumference of the plate.

On the axis 7, and in rear of the plate G, is

rigidly secured a ratchet-wheel, 8, the teeth of which correspond in number to the figures on the face of the plate. The axis 7 extends through the plate and turns in a bearing in the cover or face-plate 3 of the case. hen the parts are in position the push-pawl B bears directly on the radial face of one of the teeth,

and eonsequentlythe depression of the thumb piece will move the ratchetforward one teeth.

In order to prevent the face-plate and ratchet from being drawn back by the upward pressure of the spring B when released, 1 provide a spring holding-pawl, 9, consisting of a straight piece of spring-steel secured to the rim 2, and projecting up sufficiently to bear directly against the radial face of one of the teeth of the ratchet, in advance of the pawl 13, and to hold the wheel and plate stationary when the pawl springs back.

The face-plate 3 is provided with an opening, 10, with which the figures on the. movable plate successively register.

As before stated,the face-plate isperforated to form a bearing for the axis orjournalofthe plate 0. The bearing is formed by a hollow sleeve which extends outside the face-plate, and has its outer end crimped over the head of an index-hand, 11, mounted on such sleeve and free to revolve.

The face-plate is provided with a scale or gage, around which the hand may be moved to record any aggregate number of points registered by the mechanism before described, or the number of games played. This device is exceedingly useful as a lap-scorer, where miles must be registered frequently and the effort of memory to remember accurately would be too great. I am not aware that such a permanent record has been used with a mechanical register of this kind, and it adds greatly to the convenience and effectiveness of the instrument,while itdoes not complicate the construction or add materially to the cost of manufacture.

I am aware that a game-counter has been provided with a double-ratchet device on the shaft of a movable plate, a plunger attached to a pawl, and having anindependent spring to return them, and a pivoted detent attached to another spring to hold the plate stationary; but this device is unnecessarily complicated, and my invention is intended as an improvement on it in the directions of simplicity, accuracy, cheapness, and convenience,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- An instrumentfor registering both the points in the game and the number of games, consisting of a case, a circular numbered dial-plate mounted on a spindle, a ratchet-Wheel fixed to such spindle, a spring-pawl bearing on the ratchet and having an operating plunger, 5, a holding-pawl, a, slotted face-plate, and an exterior movable pointer pivoted on a central boss on the face-plate surrounding the spindle, as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ATHERTON WALES.

Witnesses:

GEO. H. BOURNE,

Burns FoLsoir, 

